![]() ![]() The first prenatal appointment is the time for your practitioner to get up to speed on your health history and fill you in on how to care for yourself and your growing baby, as well as address any concerns you have (this is when that list of questions comes in handy). You’ll chat about yourself and your baby. To give you the best possible care, your practitioner will want to know a lot about you.Your OB/GYN or midwife will calculate your due date using your LMP (although this date can be inaccurate), a check of your cervix and uterus for signs and approximate gestational age of the pregnancy, your hCG levels, and, most likely, an ultrasound. If you know when you conceived and the date of your last period (LMP), make sure to mention it. Even if you got a positive result on a home pregnancy test, your practitioner will likely repeat a urine test and do a blood test to check your hCG levels. You'll get a confirmation of your pregnancy.This may include a general health exam (checking your heart, lungs, breasts and abdomen) measuring your blood pressure to serve as a baseline reading for future appointments noting your height and weight a look for varicose veins and swelling as a baseline for future visits a pelvic exam and an assessment of the size of your uterus and the size and shape of your pelvis. Practitioners also have their own to-do lists for the first prenatal appointment. What will happen at my first prenatal visit? In the excitement of that first prenatal appointment, lots of moms-to-be forget to ask the burning questions that have been keeping them up at night - so make a list of them beforehand (and don’t forget to bring it with you). Learn what illnesses your family has a history of, so you can clue in your practitioner from the get-go. Find out about health conditions that run in your and your partner’s families.Your OB/GYN or midwife will also want to know the names and possibly the dosages of any medications and supplements you take (herbs and vitamins included). Other things you can do to prepare include: Potential disease exposure: Any contagious diseases you may have been exposed to (say, if you traveled abroad recently or work in health care).Your obstetrical history: Previous pregnancies, including pregnancy complications or losses and details about previous deliveries.Your gynecological history: Age of your first period, details about your cycle, whether you have problems with PMS or PMDD, prior gynecological surgeries, history of abnormal Pap smears or STDs.Your mental health history: Any history of depression, anxiety disorder or other mental health disorders. ![]()
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